Graphic Design Schools

There are 701 accredited graphic design schools in the country. As a professor or instructor of graphic design classes at one of these schools, you play a central role in shaping the future of this growing field. The trends in the graphic design academic community can be evaluated by looking at the statistics and graphs below, which includes graphic design training at the following levels:

Statistics

Professional Trends

National Employment growth for Graphic design professionals

There were 192,240 graphic design professionals working in the US in 2010. Over the course of the past 4 years, this number has grown by 1%.

And the growth for all careers between the years 2006 and 2010 was 1%. Over the next 7 years, this trend is expected to contine.

National Salary percentiles for Graphic design professionals

10th percentile

$26,200

25th percentile

$33,200

50th percentile

$43,500

75th percentile

$58,600

90th percentile

$76,910

In 2010, the median salary earned by graphic design professionals around the nation, was $43,500 per year. The national median salary for all professions, was $68,155 in the same year. Thus, the median yearly salary for graphic design professionals in the US was 29% less than the national median salary for all professions.

National Median Salary Growth For Graphic Design

$39,900

$41,280

$42,400

$43,180

$43,500

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Light Blue: Salaries

Graphic design professionals' salaries have seen a 9% growth from the year 2006 to the year 2010.

Educational Trends

National Graphic Design Student enrollment growth by degree

3,095

3,162

3,250

3,908

4,173

4,121

4,741

5,938

6,704

7,438

0

0

3

0

0

206

179

301

410

471

1,173

1,029

1,095

1,557

1,408

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Yellow: Associate's Degree in Graphic Design

Blue: Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design

Red: Doctorates Degree in Graphic Design

Light blue: Master's Degree in Graphic Design

Grey: Certificate in Graphic Design

The career outlook for graphic design professionals is showing a rapid change. However, on the educational front, the story is quite different. In the year 2006 there were 8,595 students who graduated from graphic design degree programs across the country, while in the year 2010, there were 13,490 students graduating from graphic design schools.

Thus, in 4 years, there was a 57% growth in the number of graphic design graduates. This growth in the number of students graduating from graphic design courses is greater than the 12% growth nationally for students graduating from institutions of higher learning in general.

Graphic Design Programs offered Nationwide

associate

332

bachelor

330

master

31

doctor

0

Certificate

200

Total

893

While student graduation numbers are up, the number of schools offering graphic design programs has also increased. There were 241 graphic design schools across the country in 2006. And there were 701 schools in 2010.

Graphic Design Faculty Salaries

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Currently we are in the process of collecting data for the number of graphic design faculty, growth in the field of graphic design academia and faculty salaries. We request your help. If you teach graphic design courses to students at the certificate in graphic design, associates degree in graphic design, bachelors degree in graphic design, masters degree in graphic design, and PhD degree in graphic design levels, please anonymously submit your information in the field below. By doing so, you will be helping us build a valuable database resource for the benefit of current and future graphic design faculty. A summary of the information we have collected thus far will appear once you submit your information.